Fresh Pasta with Garlicky Romano Sauce

Every time I make fresh pasta, I wonder why I don’t do it more often. The simple ingredients—only two—and soft, creamy texture of the noodles are reason enough to make pasta in your own kitchen. It really is worth the time and effort.

Keep in mind that recipes vary broadly in how much flour and how many eggs make up the best dough—and how many servings of pasta you’ll end up with. Don’t worry that it’s not an exact science. If your dough is too wet and sticky, add a little more flour. If it’s too dry and stiff, add a little water. If you use the quantities in this recipe, you’ll have enough pasta for at least four servings, more likely six.

Variables occur because it’s common for different cooks to work differently with dough. If you need to add flour as you go, you’ll end up with more. If the dough starts out gooey enough for large globs to stick to your fingers, you may sling those in the trash. And as you’re passing the sheets through the rollers of the pasta maker, I recommend cutting off any rounded ends to keep them straight-edged and easier to form into whatever pasta shape you’re making. You can either re-knead those cut-off ends or discard them. Bottom line: the amount of dough will vary. And that’s okay.

Note: This recipe was created using a hand-turned pasta maker. If yours is electric, simply make any adjustments to the preparation as needed. 

Hand-Turned Pasta Maker

About the sauce: It’s simple—some good olive oil, garlic, cheese, and a little parsley. When you’re taking time to make fresh pasta, the noodles deserve to be the star of the dish. So dress them gently. 

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

For the Pasta

• 2 1/2 cups flour, plus more as needed
• 3 large eggs, room temperature

For the Sauce

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2/3 cup grated Romano cheese
• 2/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water

Preparation

For the Pasta

1. Mound the flour on a large work surface (think volcano) and make a well in the top (think crater) to hold the eggs.

Flour and Eggs Ready to Combine

1. Crack the eggs into the well. Use a fork to break the yolks and to begin incorporating the eggs into the flour. When a crumbly mixture forms, use the palms of your hands to knead the dough until it’s pliable and slightly softened, about 10 minutes.
2. Shape it into a ball and place under a clean kitchen towel. Let it rest 15 minutes.

Kneaded Pasta Dough

1. Cut about a 1-inch slice of dough from the ball and flatten it into a rectangular shape, thin enough to pass through the widest opening of the rollers of the pasta maker. 
2. Pass it through a couple times, then shift the rollers to a narrower opening. Keep narrowing the rollers until the pasta passing through them is a long, thin rectangle, about 20 inches long. (Cut off rounded ends as you go, to keep the edges straight.)

Dough Slice Ready to Flatten

Pasta Dough on the Second Pass

Dough after a Few Passes

Square Off the Dough Ends

1. Cut the sheet in half and pass each half through the rollers of the pasta maker’s fettuccini-sized rollers (or a long-noodle width of your choosing).
2. Place the noodles in loose “nests” on a clean kitchen towel and repeat with the rest of the dough. (Letting them dry slightly in nests helps keep the noodles from drying into brittle sticks that may break easily when handled. Use the noodles within 1 hour of nesting to prevent them from sticking together too tightly. The noodles should loosen in boiling water, but if a few stick together, don’t worry about it.)

Fettuccini-Sized Fresh Pasta

Pasta Beginning to Dry

Pasta Drying in Loose Nests

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Boil the fresh noodles until tender but al dente, about 3 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
2. Use a pasta spoon to transfer the noodles to the sauce (recipe follows).

For the Sauce

1. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook gently, until very fragrant, 3-4 minutes.
2. Transfer the cooked noodles with a pasta spoon to the skillet and stir in the cheeses, parsley, and reserved pasta water. Toss well to coat.

Oil and Garlic

Pasta Tossed with Oil and Garlic

Divide the pasta among 4 to 6 bowls and drizzle each with a little more oil. Serve right away.